United News of Bangladesh

Iran unleashed another round of missile strikes on Israel early Monday, killing at least five people and injuring dozens more, in what marks the fourth consecutive day of escalating hostilities between the two regional adversaries. Air raid sirens wailed across Israel as Iranian missiles rained down, including one that landed near the U.S. consulate in Tel Aviv, causing minor structural damage but no American casualties, U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee said on X. Tehran claimed responsibility for firing around 100 missiles, pledging more retaliation in response to Israel’s earlier airstrikes targeting Iranian military and nuclear facilities — attacks that Iran says have left at least 224 people dead since Friday. With Monday’s fatalities, Israel’s total death toll from the ongoing conflict rose to at least 19. In retaliation, the Israeli military said its air force struck 10 command centers operated by Iran’s Quds Force in Tehran. The Quds Force is an elite unit of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps tasked with foreign operations. Massive explosions, believed to be from Israeli air defenses intercepting the missiles, lit up the sky over Tel Aviv before dawn. In Petah Tikva, a city near the capital, local officials reported a direct hit on a residential building, which left several apartments gutted and windows shattered. Magen David Adom, Israel’s national emergency service, confirmed the deaths of five individuals — two men and two women in their 70s, along with another person — in four separate impact sites across central Israel. Another 87 people were taken to hospitals, including a woman in critical condition. Search-and-rescue teams continued working to extract survivors from the rubble. One medic, Dr. Gal Rosen, described rescuing a four-day-old infant from a burning building in one of the hardest-hit areas. “The destruction was overwhelming,” he said. Petah Tikva resident Yoram Suki, 60, said he and his family took shelter moments before their apartment was destroyed. “We survived, thank God,” he said, urging Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to maintain pressure on Iran. “This is for our children’s future.” Israel-Iran conflict enters third day with escalating missile strikes, rising death tolls Iran’s Revolutionary Guard warned that future strikes would be “more severe and destructive” if Israeli attacks continue. On Sunday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had indicated that Iran was open to halting its offensive — but only if Israel did the same. Israel, however, expanded its targets to include oil refineries and government buildings inside Iran. Meanwhile, Iran’s health authorities reported over 1,200 wounded inside the country. Rights groups claim the true civilian toll may be far higher, with some estimating over 400 dead, including nearly 200 civilians. Israel defends its campaign as necessary to dismantle Iran’s nuclear and military capabilities. Though Iran maintains its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes, recent enrichment activities have raised international concerns.

US President Donald Trump reportedly rejected an Israeli proposal to assassinate Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, according to multiple media outlets. Reuters, citing two unnamed US officials, reported that Israeli authorities recently informed the Trump administration of an opportunity to carry out the assassination, but Trump declined to approve the operation. Trump believes Israel-Iran may come to deal 'soon' Reuters quoted an unnamed Trump administration official as saying that officials were “not even talking about going after the political leadership” until such time as Iran had killed an American citizen. Major outlets including CNN, the Associated Press, CBS News, and NBC News have also confirmed the existence of the plan and Trump’s decision to block it. Source: Al Jazeera  

Iran has told regional mediators Qatar and Oman that it will not consider a ceasefire while Israeli attacks continue, a senior official familiar with the discussions told Reuters on Sunday, as the two rivals exchanged fresh strikes, raising fears of a broader conflict. “The Iranians made it clear to Qatari and Omani intermediaries that they will only enter serious negotiations after completing their response to Israel’s pre-emptive strikes,” said the official, who requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the issue. According to the source, Iran firmly rejected any ceasefire proposal under current conditions. This comes after Israel launched a surprise offensive early Friday that reportedly targeted Iran’s top military leadership and damaged parts of its nuclear infrastructure. Israel has indicated that its campaign will continue to escalate. In response, Iran has vowed a fierce retaliation, warning it will "open the gates of hell" against Israel in what is shaping up to be their most intense confrontation yet. The official also dismissed media reports claiming Iran had asked Oman and Qatar to involve the United States in brokering a ceasefire or resuming nuclear negotiations. “Those reports are inaccurate,” the official stated. Israel-Iran conflict: IRGC intelligence chief, two generals killed in Israeli strikes Iran’s foreign ministry, as well as the foreign ministries of Qatar and Oman, did not respond to Reuters’ requests for comment. Oman has recently served as a mediator in nuclear negotiations between the U.S. and Iran, although the latest round was cancelled following the outbreak of Israel’s latest air assault. Qatar, too, has played a role in facilitating dialogue between the two sides, including mediating a prisoner exchange in 2023. Both Qatar and Oman maintain diplomatic ties with Iran and the United States and have previously engaged in direct communication with Israel. Source: With inputs from agency 

Israel’s continued airstrikes on Iran have killed the intelligence chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) along with two other senior generals, Iranian authorities confirmed on Sunday. The assault marked the third consecutive day of Israeli strikes on Tehran and other Iranian cities, prompting Iran to launch fresh retaliatory missile attacks on Israeli territory. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that Tehran would cease its response if Israel halts its offensive. Since the Israeli campaign began, at least 224 people have been killed in Iran, while over a dozen fatalities have been reported in Israel. Israel-Iran conflict enters third day with escalating missile strikes, rising death tolls Meanwhile, the ongoing Israeli offensive in Gaza has resulted in the deaths of at least 55,362 people and injuries to 128,741 others, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. The conflict stems from Hamas’ October 7, 2023 attack, which killed around 1,139 people in Israel and saw over 200 taken hostage. Source: With inputs from Al Jazeera 

Israel and Iran continued exchanging missile strikes for a third consecutive day on Sunday, ignoring international appeals to end hostilities as the conflict intensified with heavy civilian casualties on both sides. Iran accused Israel of targeting its oil refineries, government offices, and urban centers, reporting that over 220 people have been killed and more than 1,270 injured since the Israeli offensive began on Friday. The death toll includes the head of intelligence for Iran’s powerful Revolutionary Guard, Gen. Mohammad Kazemi, along with two other senior commanders. Meanwhile, Israel said Iran had launched more than 270 missiles toward its territory, 22 of which penetrated its advanced air defense systems and struck residential areas. The strikes killed at least 14 people and injured nearly 400, Israeli authorities said. The escalating violence disrupted diplomatic efforts, including the cancellation of U.S.-Iran nuclear talks that were scheduled to take place in Oman on Sunday. The conflict has raised concerns over the future of Iran’s nuclear program and regional stability. A U.S. official told the Associated Press that during his presidency, Donald Trump rejected an Israeli plan to assassinate Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Israel, widely believed to be the region’s only nuclear-armed nation, has said its actions are aimed at stopping Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. Widening targets inside Iran Israel claimed its air raids on Sunday struck key Iranian military and infrastructure sites, including the Defense Ministry, missile bases, and factories involved in air defense manufacturing. Iranian authorities confirmed the deaths of three top generals and acknowledged strikes on energy sites, including a massive blaze at the Shahran oil depot near Tehran and another at a fuel tank south of the capital. Trump believes Israel-Iran may come to deal 'soon' The attacks also damaged the Foreign Ministry and multiple public buildings. Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh shared images of the Foreign Ministry’s damaged offices and library. Iranian state media broadcast harrowing footage from missile strike sites, including a dust-covered man rescuing a baby and a bloodied woman making an urgent call from a devastated building in central Tehran. Health Ministry spokesperson Hossein Kermanpour said 90% of the fatalities were civilians. Human Rights Activists, a Washington-based advocacy group, claimed a significantly higher death toll than official figures, reporting over 400 deaths and more than 650 injuries in Iran. To protect civilians, authorities in Tehran announced that metro stations and mosques would begin serving as bomb shelters. Residents faced long queues at gas stations amid reports of panic-fueled evacuations from the capital, although officials denied any fuel shortages. Explosions were also reported from Mashhad in northeastern Iran, where Israel reportedly struck a refueling aircraft—its deepest incursion into Iranian territory to date. Casualties mount in Israel In Israel, air raid sirens rang out across major cities, including Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, and Haifa. Several Iranian missiles hit residential buildings, bypassing the Iron Dome defense system. In Bat Yam, south of Tel Aviv, six people, including two children, were killed when a missile hit a high-rise apartment. Another four people died in Tamra, an Arab-majority town in the north, while 42 others were injured in Rehovot following a separate strike. Israel's Weizmann Institute of Science reported damage to its buildings, though no casualties occurred there. An oil refinery in Haifa was also damaged, and Israel's airspace and main international airport remained closed for a third day. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran’s retaliation would stop if Israel ceased its attacks. Netanyahu signals regime change possible in Iran Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed growing international pressure to de-escalate the conflict. In an interview with Fox News, he suggested the fighting could lead to regime change in Iran. Netanyahu also claimed, without presenting evidence, that Tehran was planning to provide nuclear weapons to Houthi rebels in Yemen. Iran maintains its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes, and U.S. intelligence assessments have said the country has not pursued a nuclear weapon since 2003. However, Tehran has recently stockpiled uranium enriched close to weapons-grade and is believed to have the capacity to build nuclear weapons in months if it chooses. Despite the violence, a senior U.S. official said Washington remains committed to reviving nuclear negotiations. Iran reaffirms self-reliance in defence after Israeli strikes: FM Araqchi The ongoing conflict also unfolds amid Israel’s war in Gaza against Iran-backed Hamas, which began after Hamas’ deadly incursion into southern Israel on October 7, 2023. Nuclear infrastructure heavily damaged New satellite imagery reviewed by AP revealed widespread destruction at Iran’s main uranium enrichment site in Natanz, including several buildings linked to the facility’s power supply. Although the underground centrifuge hall was spared, experts warned that damage to infrastructure could take months—or longer—to repair. U.N. nuclear watchdog IAEA confirmed Israeli strikes also damaged four buildings at a nuclear research site in Isfahan, including a uranium conversion plant. However, it reported no abnormal radiation levels at either site. An unnamed Israeli military source said restoring operations at Natanz and Isfahan could take "many months, maybe more."

President Donald Trump on Sunday issued a stark warning to Iran against retaliating on US targets in the Middle East while also predicting Israel and Iran would “soon” make a deal to end their escalating conflict. Trump in a social media posting said the United States “had nothing to do with the attack on Iran” as Israel and Iran traded missile attacks for the third straight day. Iran, however, has said that it would hold the US—which has provided Israel with much of its deep arsenal of weaponry—for its backing of Israel. Israel targeted Iran’s Defence Ministry headquarters in Tehran and sites it alleged were associated with Iran’s nuclear program, while Iranian missiles evaded Israeli air defences and slammed into buildings deep inside Israel, reports AP. “If we are attacked in any way, shape or form by Iran, the full strength and might of the US Armed Forces will come down on you at levels never seen before,” Trump said. Hours later Trump took to social media again to predict “Iran and Israel should make a deal, and will make a deal." The US president said he has a track record for de-escalating conflicts, and that he would get Israel and Iran to cease hostilities “just like I got India and Pakistan to make" after the two countries' recent cross-border confrontation. Iran reaffirms self-reliance in defence after Israeli strikes: FM Araqchi India struck targets inside Pakistan after militants in April massacred 26 tourists in Indian-controlled Kashmir. Pakistan has denied any links to the attackers. Following India’s strikes in Pakistan, the two sides exchanged heavy fire along their de facto borders, followed by missile and drone strikes into each other’s territories, mainly targeting military installations and airbases. It was the most serious confrontation in decades between the countries. Trump on Sunday repeated his claim, disputed by India, that the two sides agreed to a ceasefire after he had offered to help both nations with trade if they agreed to de-escalate. Trump also pointed to efforts by his administration during his first term to mediate disputes between Serbia and Kosovo and Egypt and Ethiopia. “Likewise, we will have PEACE, soon, between Israel and Iran!” Trump said. “Many calls and meetings now taking place. I do a lot, and never get credit for anything, but that’s OK, the PEOPLE understand. MAKE THE MIDDLE EAST GREAT AGAIN!” The growing conflict between Israel and Iran is testing Trump who ran on a promise to quickly end the brutal wars in Gaza and Ukraine and build a foreign policy that more broadly favors steering clear of foreign conflicts. Trump has struggled to find an endgame to the wars in Ukraine and Gaza.

The Secretariat of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) has condemned the Israeli aggression against Iran as a flagrant violation of the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. In a statement issued on Sunday, the secretariat said that it is “gravely concerned about the escalation of violence and the threat to peace posed by Israeli aggression against the Islamic Republic of Iran.” According to IRNA, it strongly condemned “the flagrant violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Iran, a key member and the host of ECO, in a clear breach of the fundamental principles of international law and the UN Charter.” Iran reaffirms self-reliance in defence after Israeli strikes: FM Araqchi The secretariat also expressed its deep condolences to the people and government of the Islamic Republic over the loss of lives and the damage to civilian infrastructure, as a result of the Israeli strikes. It underlined that attacks on civilian targets, including transport and energy infrastructure, undermine peace in the region and pose serious risks to global stability.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi on Sunday said that the Islamic Republic places its trust only in its own forces for defending its national security. Speaking after a meeting with ambassadors, diplomats, and envoys of international organisations in Tehran, Araqchi reinforced Iran’s stance, noting that the recent international dynamics confirm the correctness of Iran’s policy of self-reliance and military strength. Iran has taken a series of diplomatic steps to address the international community’s failure to confront Israeli aggression, he said. According to Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA), Araqchi said that he personally sent an official letter to the secretary-general of the United Nations and engaged in direct discussions to bring attention to the situation. Trump says he, Putin agree ‘war in Israel-Iran should end’ Tehran also demanded an emergency session of the UN Security Council, which was ultimately held but yielded disappointing results due to US intervention blocking the adoption of a resolution condemning Israel’s actions, said Araqchi. A formal request has been submitted to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for an extraordinary session of the Board of Governors, scheduled to take place imminently, he said. A military attack on a nation’s nuclear facilities must be met with firm global condemnation, otherwise aggression will be encouraged, the official said. Tehran has never abandoned diplomacy, he said, adding that Iran is a nation founded upon principles of justice and peaceful solution of conflicts. Araqchi praised neighbouring countries for their strong condemnation of Israeli attacks, highlighting frequent diplomatic engagements with regional leaders. Overnight on June 13, Israel began rounds of strikes on Iran, including the capital. In a major escalation, the Tel Aviv regime also targeted residential buildings in and near Tehran. Following the attack, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said the Israeli regime had sealed a “bitter and painful” destiny for itself.

Islamabad has rejected Iranian media claims that it plans to send around 750 non-nuclear ballistic missiles to Iran to support its conflict with Israel. A senior official from Pakistan's Foreign Ministry, speaking to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity, dismissed the reports, stating that such claims were baseless. The official noted they were not authorized to publicly discuss the matter. The Pakistani military has not yet issued a formal response regarding the Iranian reports. While Pakistan, a nuclear-armed state, does not publicly disclose details of its missile arsenal, it frequently conducts test launches of short-, medium-, and long-range missiles, largely in the context of its ongoing tensions with neighboring India.